Database Systems

Chapter 1

What terms refer to raw facts that have not yet been processed to reveal their meaning?

Data

Information is the result of ________ raw data to reveal its meaning

Processing

What is required for information to reveal meaning and be used as a foundation for decision-making?

Context

Define Knowledge

The body of information and facts about a specific subject, implying familiarity and understanding

What is a key Characteristics of knowledge regarding the derivation of new ideas?

New knowledge can be derived from old knowledge

A collection of programs that manages the database structure and controls access to data is called a ________

Database management system (DMBS)

Which components serves as the intermediary between the end user and the database?

The DBMS

The database structure itself is stored as a collection of ________.

Files

How does the DBMS present data to an end user or application program?

As a single, integrated view

The DBMS ________ much of the database’s internal complexity from the user.

Hides

What defines a single-user database?

A database that supports only one user at a time

Define Desktop database

A single-user database that runs on a personal computer

A multiuser database that typically supports fewer that 50 users is known as a _______ database

Workgroup

Which Database type supports the overall company data representation and future needs?

Enterprise database

A _______ database is one located at a single physical site

Centralised

Define Distributed database

A logically related database stored in two or more physically independent sites

Databases maintained using services like Microsoft Azure or Amazon AWS ar called _______ databases

Cloud

What distinguishes a general purpose database from other types?

It contains a wide variety of data used across multiple disciplines

Define discipline-specific database

A database containing data focused on a specific subject area , often for academic or research purposes

Why were ad hoc queries impossible in traditional file system data management?

Because even simple data retrieval tasks required extensive programming

Modern databases use ____ data manipullation languages, allowing users to specify what to do without how

Non-procedural

What is a major limitation of file system administration as the number of files expands?

System administration becomes complex and difficult

Independent files in a file system tend to contain ________ data, leading to structural problems

Redundant

in a file system, why is it difficult to make changes to an existing file structure

Changes require extensive programming to modify the file and all associated programs

What term describes the “islands of information” often found in old file systems?

Independent files owned by different departments containing redundant data

Define Metadata

Data about data, used by the DBMS to manage the database contents and structure

List the five major components of a database system enviroment

Hardware, software, people, procedures and data

In a database enviroment ‘hardware’ refers to all the systems’s ______ devices

Physical

List the three types of software needed to make a database system function fully

Operating system software, DBMS software and application programs/ utilities.

Who is responsible for the overall management and efficiency of the DBMS?

Database administrator (DBA)

Which role is responsible for designing the database structure, including tables and views?

Database designer

The individual who use application programs to perform the organisation’s daily operation are _______.

End users

Who is responsible for ensuring that the database system has the necessary physical resources, such as servers?

System administrator

Define Procedures

The instructions and rules that govern the design and use of the database system

What is the predominant role of a database in an organisation?

To support managerial decision-making at all levels

A fully distributed DBMS must first ______, analyse and decompose an incoming request

Validate

After decomposing a request, a DBMS must map the request’s _______-to-physical data components

logical

What term describes a character or group of characters that has a specific meaning?

Field

A logically connected set of one or more fields that describes a person, place, or thing is a _____

Record

Define Semi-structured data

Data that has been processed to some extent, often using tags like XML

What is the primary purpose of OLAP ( online analystical processing)

To provide tools for retrieving, processing and modelling data for decision support

A database that is primarily used to store data for day-to-day transactions is an _____ database

Operational

Define Database Life Cycle (DBLC)

A cycle tracing the history of a database through six phases from initial study to maintenance

What are the first two phases of Database Life Cycle (DBLC)

Initial study and database design

The fourth phase of DBLC following implementation and loading, is ______

Testing and evaluation

In the DBLC, what follows the operation phase?

Maintenance and evolution

Define Database middleware

Software through which application programs connect and communicate with data repositories

Which language is typically used to represent semi-structured data?

Extensible Markup language (XML)

How does the DBMS help ensure data accuracy for decision-making?

By transforming raw data into useful information formats and preserving data integrity

Why is the DBMS considered an intermediary for data access"?

Because the only way to access the data stored in files is through the DBMS software

What is the difference between physical and logical data formats?

Physical refers to how data is stored, while logical refers to how the user views the data

What classification applies to a database containing financial data from CompuStat?

Discipline-specific database

In a faculty database, 20%of staff being adjuncts is an example of ______

information

What is a ‘query result set’?

The information generated by a database query.

Which role in the database environment is responsible for writing and maintaing application programs?

Programmer

What is a critical limitation regarding security in an old file systems?

Security features were often inadequate or difficult to program or omit

The physical devices including computers, storage and printers in a database system are collectively called ?

Hardware

A database that supports multiple concurrent users is a _____ Database

multiuser

Which type of database supports day-to-day operations and is also called a production database?

Operational database